{"id":2898,"date":"2019-11-03T04:02:29","date_gmt":"2019-11-03T02:02:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thailandee.com\/blog\/en\/?p=2898"},"modified":"2019-11-03T04:06:16","modified_gmt":"2019-11-03T02:06:16","slug":"where-to-go-to-celebrate-loy-krathong-festival-in-thailand","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thailandee.com\/blog\/en\/index.php\/2898-where-to-go-to-celebrate-loy-krathong-festival-in-thailand","title":{"rendered":"Where to go to celebrate Loy Krathong in Thailand ?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Held every year throughout the country, Loy Krathong is certainly one of the most awaited festivals in Thailand<\/a>. This year,\u00a0Loy Krathong<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0will be celebrated on November 11th, the official date, and in some places, there is a whole festival with many shows and events. I list the most important and famous ones in this article.<\/p>\n

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LOY KRATHONG FESTIVAL<\/h2>\n

Loy Krathong is celebrated every year on the full moon day of the 12th lunar month, which falls on a variable date mostly in November.<\/span>\u00a0This year it will be November 11th, 2019 (official date).<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

If you will often see images of thousands of lanterns in the sky to illustrate or announce the event, the historical tradition of Loy Krathong, the one that gave it its name, has nothing to do with them. Loy Krathong’s tradition is to put small rafts with 3 sticks of incense and a candle on the riversn canals and ponds.<\/span><\/p>\n

The lanterns in the sky came later and are more a tradition from Chiang Mai and its\u00a0Yee Peng Festival<\/strong>\u00a0which is held at the same time. But for some years now, these khom loy<\/em> lanterns are only\u00a0allowed in the North precisely and officially<\/span>\u00a0banned in Bangkok.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The Yee Peng Festival in Chiang Mai (see some places below)<\/span><\/span> <\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

SUKHOTHAI LOY KRATHONG AND CANDLE FESTIVAL<\/span><\/h2>\n

The tradition of Loy Krathong was born in Sukhothai when the city was the capital of the Kingdom.<\/span>\u00a0For the occasion, every year, the central part of the historical park opens its doors for free in the evening for 10 days for one of the largest and most spectacular festivals in the country.<\/span><\/p>\n

The highlights of these evenings are the two sound and light shows.<\/span>\u00a0One with paying tickets at Wat Mahathat and one completly free closing each evening at Wat Sa Si and on the surrounding pond.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Paying show at Wat Mahtaht in Sukhothai<\/span><\/span> <\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This year the Loy Krathong festival in Sukhothai will be held from 2 to 11 November 2019<\/strong>\u00a0.<\/span><\/p>\n

I told you the full program of the festival in this article about\u00a0Loy Krathong in Sukhothai<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0.<\/span><\/p>\n

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LOY KRATHONG 2019 IN CHIANG MAI<\/span><\/h2>\n

<\/span>Chiang Mai is for me, the best destination in Thailand to attend Loy Krathon for the first time precisely because the festival is combined with the Yee Peng festival and its big release of lanterns in the sky.<\/span><\/p>\n

There is alos a nice candel ceremonie around Wat Pan Tao pound (see picture below) and many other events.<\/p>\n

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The candlelight ceremony at Wat Pan Tao<\/span><\/span> <\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Programme of Loy Krathong & Yee Peng Festival 2019 in Chiang Mai<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Otherwise, for a Loy Krathong with less foreign tourists, you can go to Lamphun 25 km from Chiang Mai, at Wat Hariphunchai and the river banks just behind.<\/span><\/p>\n

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SOME OTHER FESTIVALS OF LOY KRATHONG 2019<\/span><\/h2>\n

LOY KRATHONG 2019 IN BANGKOK<\/span><\/h3>\n

The Tourist Authority of Thailand (TAT) will organize a small festival at Santi Chai Prakan Park which is near Khao San Road from 9 to 11 November.<\/span><\/p>\n

There will also be the River Festival<\/strong>\u00a0held in 9 locations along the river from 9 to 11 November 2019. Same location than last year (see picture below)<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n

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LOY KRATHONG 2019 IN AYUTTHAYA<\/span><\/h3>\n

In the former capital of the Siam Kingdom , 1h30 drive from Bangkok, Loy Krathong will also be celebrated with several events.<\/span>\u00a0There too, since the water is surrounding the city, it will be quite easy to attend and participate in the release of krathongs.<\/span><\/p>\n

On D-Day, November 1, at\u00a0King Naresuan’s Great Monument<\/strong>\u00a0near Thung Phu Khao Thong, several activities including a krathong-making contest, beauty pageants, cultural shows, and a moon bath ritual to bring luck will be held.<\/span><\/p>\n

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In Ayutthaya, there will be an event in front of the National Museum of Chankasem<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But in general, for tourists, it is better to go to\u00a0Bang Sai Arts and Crafts Center<\/strong>\u00a0and in\u00a0front of the National Museum of Chankasem or<\/strong>\u00a0in front of the Srisuriyothai Pagoda. I think, the events there are more interesting.<\/span><\/p>\n

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LOY KRATHONG 2019 IN TAK<\/span><\/h2>\n

Little known by foreign tourists, Tak also organizes one of Thailand’s best-known Loy Krathong festivals which is renowned for its long floating line of candles deployed on the river at Rim Sai Than Lan Krathong Sai at the foot of Somphot Bridge Krung Rattanakosin 200 Pi Bridge.<\/span><\/p>\n

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This year the Loy Krathong Sai Tak Festival will take place\u00a0from 9 to 11 November 2019.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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LOY KRATHONG 2019 AT SAMUT SONGKHRAM (AMPHAWA)<\/span><\/h2>\n

Another important festival in Thailand for Loy Krathong is taking place in Samut Songkhram, just over one hour’s drive from Bangkok.<\/span>\u00a0The most significant event is held on the Mae Klong River in front of\u00a0Wat Phummarin Kudi Thong<\/strong>\u00a0the day before and D day with 200,000 (figure announced for this year) small rafts with illuminated incense sticks released at the same time.<\/span>\u00a0I attended the event in 2018, difficult to photograph but impressive !<\/span><\/p>\n

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The temple is near the Amphawa Floating Market but across the Mae Klong River.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The festival will run from November 9 to 11, 2019.<\/span><\/p>\n

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LOY KRATHONG 2019 IN LAMPANG<\/span><\/h2>\n

Lampang also organizes each year a big festival, the Lampang Ngan Sapao Chao Lakon.<\/span>\u00a0This is the only place in northern Thailand to still make\u00a0‘ong sapao’<\/em>\u00a0or krathong like junk.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The festival will take place 9-11 November at Ban Sing Chai Pier.<\/span><\/p>\n

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LOY KRATHONG 2019 IN ROI ET<\/span><\/h2>\n

The most important festivities in\u00a0Roi Et\u00a0will be held at Somdet Phra Si Nakarin Public Park and Bueng Phlan Chai on November 10th and 11th.<\/span><\/p>\n

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LOY KRATHONG 2019 IN PHITSANULOK<\/span><\/h2>\n

There will be festivities from November 7th to 11th in the Chom Nan Chaloem Phrakiat Public Park along the Nan River in front of Wat Ratchaburana and on the 10th and 11th in front of the big temple of the city, Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat.<\/span><\/p>\n

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LOY KRATHONG 2019 IN BURIRAM<\/span><\/h2>\n

This is obviously not the only event in the province, but two Loy Krathong parties will be held at\u00a0Prasat Muang Tham<\/strong>\u00a0, one of the most beautiful Khmer temples in Thailand on November 10th and 11th.<\/span><\/p>\n

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SOME OTHER FESTIVALS IN THAILAND<\/span><\/h3>\n

Loy Krathong is celebrated everywhere in Thailand and wherever you are, by going near rivers or ponds, you will see people kneelling at the edge of the water, make a prayer and drop their small craft raft.<\/span>\u00a0But there are other cities that organize a whole festival around.<\/span>\u00a0Here is a non-exhaustive list:<\/span><\/p>\n